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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27885136">Conversations of the Heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metalkatt/pseuds/Metalkatt'>Metalkatt</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pet Shop of Horrors</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2008-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2008-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:27:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,735</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27885136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metalkatt/pseuds/Metalkatt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Talking with candy hearts.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Conversations of the Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This can be considered a loose sequel to the untitled piece about D's dream.  At this point, Leon has learned to hear Chris, and no longer needs the laptop.  He hasn't quite learned how to hear the pets, though.  Also, the chocolate mentioned does actually exist, and you can order it online.  Christopher Norman was listed as the best chocolatier when I looked up gourmet chocolates.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><i>Why didn't Count D get a box?</i> Chris wondered, looking up at his brother.  It was one of the rare days where Leon was staying to mind the pet shop for the evening while the slender shopowner was out, and the brothers were enjoying some time together.</p>
<p>"He can't appreciate it," Leon sighed, and ruffled the short, blond hair.  "It has to be fancy, expensive stuff, or he turns his pert little nose up at it.  This is a game we'll have to play on our own."</p>
<p>Chris looked down at the small box, the clear plastic heart showing dozens of small ones inside it.  <i>Where'd you learn to play this game?  Hearts are for girls, aren't they?</i></p>
<p>"Nah, not necessarily."  Leon's eyes seemed to focus on something beyond Chris, and the corners of his lips turned up in a rare, sweet smile.  "Besides, Mom taught me this.  I know she'd have wanted to play it with you, too.  And who knows, maybe someday, you'll get to teach it to someone you care about."  The blue eyes focused once more on the boy, eliciting an answering grin.</p>
<p>
  <i>I can teach it to Tet and Pon-chan!</i>
</p>
<p>Leon chuckled.  "If you can keep them from gobbling them up while you're playing."  He pulled the table a little closer to them, and there was a soft click of the paper box opening.  "Okay, start by opening the box and dumping them out, and then go through 'em to find any that are broken, or that you can't read."</p>
<p>Chris nodded, and the room was largely silent, the clicking and swushing of the candies the only noise.  <i>What do we do with the ones that we can't use?</i></p>
<p>"Eat 'em, but don't mix the colours," Leon answered absently.  "Tastes terrible when you do that."</p>
<p>The boy focused on his candies, pulling out the ones that were unusable and setting them aside.  From the corner of his eye, he watched Pon-chan sidle up, reaching out one slender hand toward a broken candy.  He nodded at her, letting her nick one before she snuggled against his side to watch.  He sat up straighter, craning his neck to peer at the different lines his brother was making.  Each line of hearts had the same saying on it, and Chris looked back at his own and began to arrange them the same way.</p>
<p>"Go ahead and eat any that say 'girl' anywhere on them, since we're both guys," Leon noised absently.  "Unless you wanna give 'em to Pon-chan or something.  When I did this with Mom, she'd give me all the ones that said 'girl,' and I'd give her all the ones that said 'guy.'"</p>
<p>Chris looked up, confusion denting his brow. <i> Isn't that backwards?</i></p>
<p>"No, see the object is to talk to each other," Leon pointed out as he popped a candy into his mouth.  "I wouldn't even use one of those on D, and he can look pretty girly sometimes."  A thoughtful chew, and the older sibling reached out to pull two of his hearts out.  "Now, the game is to go back and forth, talking to each other with the candy.  So, we might start with 'Dear Heart,' and 'My Guy,' since we're each addressing each other."  He drew out another piece.  "And then, we might go like this: 'Write Me.'  'Get Real.'  'Please?'  'Wise Up.'"</p>
<p>The small brow drew up in puzzlement again.  <i>Why so grumpy?  It's more of an argument than a conversation.</i></p>
<p>Leon looked down at the candies, frowning ponderously.  Chris could nearly see the wheels turning in his brother's head, catching figments of his scattered thoughts as they flitted by.  <i>…all we do is argue… …miss it if… …don't want to fight… don't stop…</i></p>
<p><i>Leon?</i>  That got the older brother's attention again, and he looked over at the boy.</p>
<p>"Sorry.  Just thinking."  He forced a smile, chuffing a mirthless laugh.  "Surprised you didn't see steam coming out of my ears."</p>
<p>The little raccoon snorted delicately, trying to hide a smile.  "At least he admits it," she chattered.</p>
<p><i>Pon-chan, be nice,</i> Chris admonished.  He watched as his brother disassembled the conversation line he'd begun, and pored over the candy, setting aside three.</p>
<p>"Okay, kiddo, let's do it together this time; you start."  The older blond scooted closer, draping his arm over Chris in brotherly affection.  Chris's shoulders were small enough that Leon's fingers brushed the top of Pon-chan's head, and he could feel how the older blond wiggled them gently to pet her as Chris reached out to pick an opening heart.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>D stood silently in the doorway, watching the scene of domesticity before him.  It was obvious that the two had been at their game for quite some time, for they were running out of hearts from eating them here and there, and they'd amassed quite a crowd.  A few of the creature-people looked up at him, about to give a note of welcome, but he raised one slender, plum-tipped finger to his lips in a gesture of silence.  Scenes like this were rare and brief, and he wanted to savour it before it dissipated into the usual gruff antagonism.  He noticed Leon look about him at the animals, then up, and it gave him pause as those blue eyes met his gaze.  It seemed older than it had the day before, somehow, more aware.</p>
<p>"Hey, D, you're back!" came the chipper call.  Leon looked at the animals surrounding him again and smiled.  "Hey, let me up a minute, guys.  Gotta get something."  He returned his glance to the other man, waving a beckoning hand.</p>
<p>D moved over to the table, asking for a space with a glance.  When he'd settled, Leon returned, balancing three small candy hearts atop a red box.  D's eyes flicked over them and he blinked, puzzled.  He looked up again at the detective, who was holding the box out to him.  "Dete--"</p>
<p>Leon tsked.  "What did I say about using my name when I'm not on duty?  And come on, take it.  The pets are staring."</p>
<p>D picked up each of the small hearts in turn, reading the small sayings several times before tucking them into his palm.  "Leon…"</p>
<p>The blond laughed warmly, and reached out to lift the lid himself.  "Cat got your tongue?  Go on, have--"</p>
<p>"Pavé  hearts!  Christopher Norman!"  He reached out for one, plum and cream plucking chocolate and red from the nestling wrapper.  As he bit in, his eyes fluttered shut, the rich thickness of the confection filling his mouth.  Soft noises bubbled up from his chest; the candy's sweetness augmented by the intent of its giver.  There had been forethought involved, careful selection, saving of money, ordering, waiting for its arrival from across the country, wiffling on whether or not to give it… and finally, the decision.</p>
<p><i>Is it really that good, Count?</i>  Mismatched eyes reluctantly opened to note the boy peering around his brother to watch the spectacle, and it made him smile.</p>
<p>"It is, I promise you."  Though, somehow, he  knew the tiny, cheap little hearts he held in his other hand would taste even better.  "Had I known you were going to go to such lengths, Detective, I would have found something for you, as well."</p>
<p>"Actually, there is something I could use your help on…"</p>
<p>D expected the lingering taste of chocolate in his mouth to grow suddenly bitter, and found himself pleasantly surprised when it melted even more sweetly.  "Another case?"</p>
<p>Leon shook his head, and pulled out a folded piece of paper from where he'd been sitting on it.  "No, actually, I was hoping you could call in some of your grandfather's contacts in England.  See, they've got pictures of a white—not albino, just white—deer out there, and if I remember the stories right, that's something pretty special."  He opened the creased paper, showing the printout of the photo: a white stag deer surveying a moor.  "Some of the guys at work were talking about this.  I'm not going to repeat the whole conversation, but it boils down to 'here is this creature of rare and wondrous beauty…  Let's go see if we can kill it.'"</p>
<p>As his gaze met Leon's again, he understood the sadness that had been in his eyes, and the point of the first heart.  <i>'I'm sorry.'</i></p>
<p><i>But--that's terrible!</i>  D could see the glimmering at the corners of Chris's eyes at his outburst, as well as the way the older sibling gentled him against his side.  <i>I can't believe anyone would want to do that!</i></p>
<p>"Yeah, I know.  That's why I was hoping there was something you could do, D… y'know, to help.  I have no clue what the hell to do to keep out the poachers."  D's hand tightened at the words, nearly crushing the candy as the meaning of the second hit home. <i> 'Teach me.'</i></p>
<p>He could feel the eyes of the pets on him, as well as Chris and his brother.  He nodded, momentarily speechless, and took another small bite of the square.  No longer merely sweet, it became liquid sunshine, warming him from the inside out.  He felt something in his chest crack, and it brought tears to his eyes to match Chris's.  The hand that held the candies came up to press against the star-sapphire cabochon he wore on his chest as he soaked in the emotion.</p>
<p>
  <i>Why is he crying?</i>
</p>
<p>Leon shrugged, looking concerned, yet hopeful.  "I think I surprised him.  I hope it's a good sort of surprise.  Took me six weeks to save enough for those things to be sent all the way from New York."</p>
<p>Black overtook blue a moment as Chris's eyes widened.  <i>It came from way out</i> there?</p>
<p>A nod, and the blond ponytail bobbed.  "Sure did.  Count D wants the best, and I'll do the best I can afford."  He hissed suddenly, face contorted in pain, and reached up to the neckline of his shirt, fumbling for the chain he wore beneath.  He drew it out, blowing on the hammered gold of the pendant, and D could see the red running through the lines of the dragon upon it.</p>
<p>D could feel the heat kindling in his belly as he watched the blond man fumble with the pendant.  <i>My dear detective</i>, he thought to himself, lips beginning to quirk as his eyes glittered.  <i>I believe you will, indeed, 'Be</i> Mine.'</p>
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